Bound
by Angela Pirate Ryoko
Summary: Eiji learns something about YutLung and about the hopelessness of his own situation while staying against his will at Papa Dino's. Takes place during volume six.


Bound

by Angela

01-04-05

Eiji was glad that it was Yau-si who tied him to the headboard. Well, "glad" wasn't exactly the right word for it; "relieved" might have been a better choice, but even that seemed ridiculous, given the situation. He wasn't happy at all to be naked and knotted to a bed in that bedroom—that bedroom that was larger than Ibe-san's entire apartment—but at least the young Chinese boy had been gentle about it. Golzine's thugs—the pale-haired guy who looked like Charlie but meaner and the dark man with cold eyes—probably wouldn't have taken the care to see that the rope wasn't too tight or that the sheets covered enough to spare him at least a scrap of his dignity.

Yau-si had been talking to him the whole time. He wasn't trying to be comforting—comfort was impossible—but his voice kept Eiji from feeling the naked terror that lurked at the edges of his mind. "It's not as though it's personal," he was saying in a voice that seemed too rational. "I'm sure that a man like Dino Golzine wouldn't ordinarily bother with a kid like you—you're not really pretty enough for his tastes, and too old to sell to those perverts at his club. This is about your friend Ash. He's the one you can blame when this is all over. Assuming you survive."

Yau-si's words caused a wave of anger to rush through Eiji. He welcomed any emotion that took his mind off his fear. "How is this Ash fault?" he demanded. He was aware that, in his confused state of mind, his English was worse than usual, but he wasn't able to concentrate on the right way to say things. "He is good guy. Ash is smart and afraid of nothing. He will find me."

The Chinese boy raised his delicate eyebrows at Eiji's words. "Of course he'll find you. He's supposed to find you. You're the bait. I just wonder how far he'll go to _save_ you." He glanced at the large clock on the wall and began to unbutton his high-necked tunic. "Given that our appointment with Golzine is in less than thirty minutes, I'm starting to think that Ash Lynx might not be the hero you want to believe he is. In fact, this might be just the thing to make you realize that he's made of the same trash as Golzine and my brothers. He's exactly the same as them. And me."

Eiji twisted against his rope, ignoring the painful way it chafed at his wrists. He wanted to hit Yau-si, to hurt him. "Ash is not trash!" he cried. "He is not the same! Not like Golzine. I know what Dino Golzine did to Ash. He is no better than animal!"

Yau-si laughed. It was a nasty, bitter sound that made Eiji even angrier. "That 'animal' is about to show you exactly what he did to Ash," he said, his lips curving into a wicked smile. "And it looks like your precious friend is going to let him."

Eiji kicked wildly, trying to hit the younger boy but succeeding only in dislodging the sheet that was his only privacy. His anger drained into mortification as Yau-si looked at his naked body and _tsked._ The younger boy slid his tunic from his shoulders and went to work on the knotted drawstring of his pants.

The sight of Yau-si's naked chest made Eiji's stomach lurch with new alarm. The reality of his situation came back into focus. "Wha-what are you doing?" he asked, his voice shaking.

Yau-si didn't answer. He flashed Eiji a serene smile and let the silk pants puddle on to the floor around his ankles. He stepped gracefully out of them and climbed onto the bed.

Eiji kicked again, this time trying to cover himself with the linen sheet. In no time he was hopelessly tangled. "Yau-si . . ." he began nervously.

The other boy's eyes flashed. "I told you, my name is Yut Lung." He slid closer, until his breath was hot and damp against Eiji's cheek. "Call me 'Yau-si' one more time and Golzine will be the least of your worries."

Closing his eyes, Eiji tried to calm his ragged breathing. He was still having a hard time understanding everything, but somehow it had come about that the quiet boy at Dr. Dawson's house was really the youngest son of the Chinese mafia. He had liked Yau-si when they were in California—his shy stillness made Eiji feel less awkward and out of place next to Ash and Shorter's boisterous energy. Trying to think of him as Yut Lung took almost more focus than he had to spare.

"Stay away," Eiji ground out through clenched teeth, "Yut Lung."

Yut Lung put his hand on Eiji's chest, his delicate fingers tracing tiny circles over the skin. "Didn't you know that Golzine wants to play with us both?" he asked, his voice dripping with unnatural sweetness. "Shouldn't we get to know each other first?"

Eiji struggled against his bindings, thrashing just enough to make the other boy pull back. "Don't touch me," he warned, a leg poised to kick. He wasn't even concerned about his nakedness now, and Yut Lung was close enough to reach this time. "I can fight if I need." He knew he was no match for the Chinese boy even when he had both hands to work with; tied as he was, he didn't have a chance in the world.

But his bluff seemed to dampen Yut Lung's enthusiasm. "Fight then," he said quietly. The look in his eyes was suddenly distant. "Fight until your knuckles bleed, until you can't stand up. Make Dino Golzine sorry he ever messed with you, kid." He yanked the cover over his exposed hips and looked hard at Eiji. "Do that and you might earn my respect. Curl up and cry until Ash comes to pick up your broken pieces and I'll come kill you myself."

Eiji swallowed hard, ashamed of the truth behind Yut Lung's words. He was helpless. Pathetic. He'd been too afraid to fight when Golzine's men took his clothes, too confused to protest when Yut Lung wrapped the rope around his wrists. No matter how he looked at it, the other boy was right. If he didn't fight he deserved whatever he got.

The burning dampness of tears in the corners of his eyes shamed him more. He wasn't kidding anyone. In just a few minutes he would most likely be brutally raped by the New York head of the Corsican mafia. Shorter had, for some reason, betrayed his best friend and gotten them both into some kind of brain washing situation with the man who killed Griffin. To add to that, Yau-si, who violently insisted on being called Yut Lung, seemed to be enjoying the idea that they would soon both be Golzine's pre-dinner appetizers.

The only thing that kept him sane was the hope that Ash would get there in time to rescue him.

The door to the bedroom swung open and Dino Golzine strode in, wearing nothing but a paisley dressing gown. He smiled coldly and untied the sash with his meaty fingers.

Eiji closed his eyes and, for an instant, wished he were dead. "Yut Lung," Golzine's voice was smooth and sinister, "Your family's generosity humbles me. I cannot express how very happy I am to be entertaining the youngest son of the esteemed Lee family."

With his eyes still closed, Eiji felt, rather than saw, Golzine's attention turn to him. "And this young thing," he said, a laugh in his voice. "What a joy it is to have Ash's dearest treasure at my disposal." His callused fingers lifted Eiji's chin as he spoke. "I'm afraid I might just use him up before my boy has a chance to see him again."

Eiji's stomach twisted and for a moment he was sure he'd throw up. Golzine's hand was on his thigh and moving upward. Eiji held his breath and thought of Ash. Wished for Ash. Prayed for him

The telephone rang and Golzine grunted irritably into the receiver.

"What is it?" Yut Lung asked, his voice casual and friendly as though he were actually concerned.

The older man got off the bed. Eiji heard the swish of silk and the swift knotting of fabric. "The wildcat has just been delivered," Golzine answered, his voice smug and self-important.

The wildcat. Ash. He was there, somewhere. He came.

Tears slid out the corners of Eiji's eyes and he let himself breathe.


End file.
